


Wish Upon A Flower

by Mama_Prime



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hospital, Cancer, Emotional Jean, F/M, Human, Illnesses, Kissing, M/M, Relationship(s), Tearjerker, Teenagers, kanoodling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-21
Updated: 2014-07-24
Packaged: 2018-02-09 21:16:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1998108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mama_Prime/pseuds/Mama_Prime
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the night reaches it's darkest point there are no stars to be seen. The high air pollution in the city blocks the night skies beauty. Only a few dim stars will grace each night, not making it much farther than that. When in all sadness and depression and resulting in the very last source of hope what would you wish upon?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sticks & Stones May Break My Bones But Words Will Never Hurt Me.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm making it short, quick, and easy so if it's not to your liking try later when I find a better idea.

I sighed into my ancient gray flip phone at Connie's hectic voice, "Connie...it's a broken leg not a broken body." Just recently texts started flooding in about how Sasha broke her leg. At first I was worried until Connie called and explained how they were sliding down her flight of stairs on an old mattress. I was hung up on, so touchy. I looked back into the foggy mirror and flexed my muscles, "What's up gorgeous?" My biceps were growing, I could feel it!  
"Jean!" My roommate was knocking on the bathroom door and calling my name loud and clear before I flicked the fan on to clear the steam from my recent hot bath.  
"Eren and Armin are here, they're going to the hospital to see Sasha." Without waiting for an answer my self-absorbed child of a man roommate slid a pair of my boxers through the crack in the now opened door. He was always shy about a body he has one similar to, but not as sexy!  
"Calm down." I whispered as I grabbed the superman boxers and slid them on before marching up the newly polished wooden oak floors past my roomie to the closet sized front door entry...the gray wall paint was peeling.  
"Jean, put your clothes on for god's sake." Eren demanded while Armin was flustered. Barely two measly minutes passed before I was dressed in blue jeans I found on the floor and a white collared long-sleeved shirt. The pocket had a hole in it but not like I was keeping anything in the worn pockets today.

The hospital wasn't far away. Port Domas Hospital or Medical Center, whichever name felt necessary.  
"Did I have to come?" I dragged my feet like a child when being ignored.  
"So...any of you know the way around the hospital?" Different medical buildings scattered the area.  
"Eren and I will ask for help... How about you start looking and we'll text you." I shrugged and followed Armin's directions. I couldn't help but wonder if I was being pranked. This place was huge and decorated with Dr.Suess puns, quotes, books, and art. Everything rhymed and made me dizzy. The first building I walked into looked all the same as the others did to me. Armin messaged me that he lost Eren and to keep an eye out for him. He needs a leash.

I acted as though I knew where I was going through the hand sanitized smelling building. I read the quotes along the white walls of the brown carpeted hallways while glancing in rooms for people I knew and acting like I knew where I was to pass the time.  
"Sir, can I help you?" A petite girl with ginger hair and moles all along her forearms was holding a clipboard and stopping to help me. Her hair was wound in pigtails and braided.  
"Well I...I'm looking for the area a foolish girl would be taken to who broke her leg sliding down stairs." At least I made her giggle. She simply pointed to a building among buildings and soon enough I was lost again. I stopped a moment to text Armin after he announced he found Sasha but no Eren. Within seconds I was instructed to look for a building entrance that had a giant spiraled hunk of metal as art outside its drop off. I was no where near that building apparently given I didn't see it anywhere.

I glanced up to read another sign, this one however wasn't a quote for once. It was the cancer center. I walked through a tiled hallway this time with jewels and colored glass embedded in the ground while passing a few surgical rooms and doctors who eyes me suspiciously. I had a thing of flowers or whatever it's called so I wasn't that suspicious...right?  
"Sir can I help you?" Another soul devoted to making me feel bad. This time it was a doctor. A silver pen was hanging out of his mouth as he glanced up from some paper work at me.  
"Uh...my name's Jean, I'm just looking for a friend." He slowly nodded and then left after pointing to a general direction I should go before wiping what was left of his while hair to the right side. Somehow however I ended up on the seventh floor, was it creepy when I peeked into a room to look for Sasha? I suppose I should have just listened and I would have found them in a heart beat but something kept me from moving. Of course, it was more like a someone. I gulped as I walked by a room and turned around on my heels to walk by again.

A calm young boy around my age was sitting up on a hospital bed reading a book. I suppose it was disrespectful considering me staring. My eyes were drinking him up however and every time I passed by he got...more adorable. His petite Italian mother was sleeping in a chair beside him as he continued to read. After a while I noticed a nurse staring at me as a blush graced both of our cheeks, "Nervous?" She chuckled before striding up to me.  
"I...uh." Without a warning she winked at me and took my hand before walking into the boy's room. He immediately looked up, curiosity drenching his face.  
"Hello Mary." He greeted but stared at me for a few seconds.  
"You have a visitor Marco, I've never seen this one before." Although my height she felt much stronger then me! She pat my back and I almost fell to the ground. The mother was still asleep as Marco just cocked his head to the side and the nurse left within a heartbeat while mine was racing. I felt myself sweating fountains as gross as that was.  
"Do I...know you?" He looked like he was trying to remember if he had met me. I simply smiled to myself, what the hell was I doing here? I'm a good liar...I just need a few seconds...  
"I was just doing a...research project for school and well you aren't the person I was suppose to meet. Your nurse just kind of...yeah." He bought it. He just smiled and nodded sweetly. Did I just choke? I think I choked...  
"Ask me anything." He blinked a few times and just stared at me concentrating...shit.  
"Well uh...how old are you?"  
"Seventeen." Damn he's fast.  
"What type of cancer, if I may ask?" This was completely rude.  
"I have renal cell cancer. Basically kidney cancer." He explained. I gulped, it must be scary and yet here he was just strongly smiling at me.  
"How long?" He thought for a moment.  
"Few years...high blood pressure runs in my family so it increased the probability." He explained. He was in his white hospital gown and beside him was a yellow glass vase of pink flowers I was unfamiliar with. He glanced over and smiled sadly at them.  
"Those are from my mother, they're Azaleas. She said they stand for 'take care of yourself for me'. She does those kind of emotional things." I wanted to cry. Right then and there and I felt like such a baby when wanting to curl up in a ball and sob. He looked pretty fragile and kind of weak, it made me want to shrivel up...why is life so rough?

Screw Sasha and her and her stupid boyfriend's acts of stupidness! With that decided I held out the strange purple and white stocks of flowers to him while looking out the clear window and biting my already swollen bottom lip to avoid his gaze. He lightly took them and smelled them.  
"I've never had lilac before...they stand for first love." Stupid Armin and his choosing of flowers! My face was obviously red and the boy just giggled at me...the boy.  
"What's your name?" I ignored my embarrassment to ask him.  
"Marco." Oh yeah...the nurse announced his name before...I'm such a jerk.  
"I'm...Jean." At first I was a bit too loud and remembered his mother sleeping in the chair. Her hair was neatly wrapped into a bun held by a purple scrunchie matching her thick strapped purple dress while her wrinkled face was peaceful.  
"Any more questions?" I scratched the back of my head, "I forgot my notebook today...may I come back later?" I gave a sheepish grin before Marco smiled slightly and gave a small nod. His mother started to turn a little and wake-up so I decided it best to leave. I waved goodbye and as I was walking out of the room I heard him speak to his mother, "You'll never guess what mama...I think I made my first friend." Then there. Right there was when the tears began. I had only spoken to him for seven minutes and I was a mess.

Armin hunted for me and finally found me in a research facility, hell knows how I go there.  
"Where are the flowers?" Armin looked around but didn't see them.  
"I forgot them somewhere...must have set them down." I smiled guiltily at Armin as he just shook his shoulders in silent laughter while rubbing his head. I suppose he has had enough of us idiots today.  
"Well visiting hours are almost over, were going to say goodbye to Sasha and go eat dinner...were you crying?" Armin froze for a moment, as did I.  
"Of course not!" I stormed off in the wrong direction and Armin had to turn me the right away, these buildings are like mazes!

When we got into Sasha's room she demanded a hug and she explained how she would get her cast tonight and would go home tomorrow after everything was paid for by her mother.  
"You lost Sasha's flowers? You're such an moron." Eren sighed. My fists clenched but I almost ignored him, "Your pathetic words can't hurt me." At all.


	2. I Wish I May I Wish I Might

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While getting through his mixed emotions and being overwhelmed by crazy teenage hormones Jean starts to study a little bit about what cancer really is but is led to family stories with loved ones with cancer. He reads about a little girl who had prayed her grandfather get better, he has no power to do anything for Marco except resort to hope.

I tapped the my black wooden desk, pushing my stiff fingers against the surface to stretch them, "Whatcha' doin'?" My roommate shuffled into my room with a backet of laundry. He pushed his thick glasses above his forehead while taking out a pair of his white formal pants.  
"I'm studying..." I had graduated high-school a few months ago. College was next I suppose but that wasn't what I was studying.  
"What are you studying?" My roommate folds clothes the best, I left it to him.  
"Uh...cancer actually." I could hear him gulp.  
"May I ask why?" He had stopped folding laundry to ask why I was. I shrugged, "No reason really, curious actually." I turned my head around my left shoulder to see him nod before taking one of my shirts out of the basket to fold.

His name isn't important, I've only known him for a few months and still don't care about his name. We barely talk and barely do anything together besides discuss bills. I rubbed my face before yawning and staring at the screen. It was only one P.M and I promised to visit Marco once again. Given my current gift of directions I would most likely have to wander through the hospital for a few hours. Visiting hours hadn't begun however.  
"Hey kid, I'm going to the hospital later." I called to the room through the paper thin wall. Immediately he was at my door, "I thought your friend was already taken out of the hospital." Confusion filled his features.  
"She was." I grabbed my cellphone and headed out the door, ignoring the confused looks shot at me.

I tapped the gold bell on the desk. Asking for help wouldn't be that bad right?  
"Yes?" Most of the cancer center lobby was made of glass. The young woman sitting in the spinning chair looked away from her computer to stare up at me. Too much lipstick.  
"I was wondering if you could tell me what room Marco is in...uh he has renal cell cancer and I don't know what his last name is. I'm just a friend...from school." She pursed her lips but nodded slowly before typing away on her computer. Her computer was an ancient piece of shit.  
"Well, Marco is a bit busy at the moment with recovery from last nights surgery so he's a bit weak. If you desperately need to see him his room number is..." Surgery? Of course, why would I know something like that. I'm not his family or anything, I shouldn't even be here.

All the nurses were dressed in blue as a lady set down a file and smiled at me. Her dark brunette hair and orange tips matched her bright makeup and contrasting skin.  
"I know Marco, he's one of my halls patients...Good lord. He hasn't had a visitor outside his family in three years. Come with me baby, Marco's already up and at em'." She was a friendly lady. The scent of her shampoo was very strong however and made my eyes water.  
"What's your name?" We were silently listening to the females voice announce the floors in the elevator.  
"Jean."  
"Seven..." The elevator announced as the doors lazily opened.  
"Well Jean, my boy Marco will be elated to see you. His mother still hasn't come to visit him today and he's just been staring at the ceiling all day." She rolled her eyes to express her care almost. She was a sweet woman, very loud but sweet.

I recognized his door, a little puppy sticker was hiding below the handle of his door, "Oh that, Marco has two little sisters." The nurse waved her hand at the sticker I was staring at of a beagle puppy.  
"Siblings, have you met them?" The lady nodded before pulling open the door and putting a finger to her mouth to hush me.  
"We don't want to disturb the people next door." She winked before shoving my ass in.

Marco's eyes fluttered open, "Jean." His voice was dry and croaked my name... Damn you tears!  
"Hey Marco." I whispered, moving to sit on the uncomfortable green chair his mother had slept in.  
"Marco baby, your visitor brought you flowers. I'll go find a vase!" The nurse squealed before rushing out of the room. Marco chuckled, "That was Rose." I nodded and stared at the door before glancing back at Marco. He was smiling at me. I set the flowers by his hand and fiddled with my fingers...topic...topic.  
"How have you been?" Marco started the question. I shrugged and glanced over to him with my head hanging, "Fine as ever." I sighed. Marco looked back to the ceiling.

His eyes looked around me and I felt self-conscious.  
"You don't have your notebook again." He pointed out and I face-palmed myself. We both chuckled as I realized I had, and I felt like Steve from Blue's Clues.  
"I forgot again." I actually did forget it, I hated lying already to Marco. His lips were dry and cracked while the color was lost in his face.  
"How are you feeling?" I dared to ask him. Marco looked up in thought for a moment, "Sore...my abdomen still hurts." What body part was that again? 

His room was pretty plain, white walls and light blue tiled floors. His room had a light blue curtain separating it from the bathroom and sink. The doors were brown and there was a couch below the window while a painting of a fountain was hung above Marco's bed with a quote below it. 'The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.' A few machines and monitors decorated the once clean counters near his bed while he was hooked up to a few IVs. Needles, ew. I couldn't help but look down at my feet and notice something under the bed, "You don't exactly have monsters under your bed, do you?" I pulled up a unicorn stuffed animal with a heart on the front and pictures drawn all over its felt with marker. At least some color came back to Marco's face.

Rose came back with a clear vase that had glass floral print, "Ooh Yarrow...the flowers." She pointed before picking them up and putting them into the vase.  
"Don't tell me...I know this one...uh success?" Marco was thinking of hard of...the meaning of the flowers again? Rose shook her head, "Good health." She corrected. Marco moaned before Rose ordered, "Time to take your medication darlin'." Setting a tray of pills and liquids by by Marco's bed. He groaned again and shook his head.  
"I hate pills...they're so hard to swallow."  
"That's why you drink water with it." Rose smirked at Marco as he admitted his slight fear of the multi-colored capsules. Marco grumbled as Rose used the remote to sit him up in his bed more. His bed head was phenomenal.

Rose stayed with us for a while by putting the flowers in the vase, making sure Marco didn't hide the pills under his tongue, cleaned his room up a little, remade his bed when he could make it to the bathroom, and offered me a tour downstairs to the cafeteria. I didn't want to leave Marco, not now.  
"I'll be back later after your mom stops by, she called in today and asked to speak with your doctor about your results honey." She closed the door and left as we both sighed.  
"My side hurts..." Marco had a good damn reason to whine.  
"It'll get better." I smiled at him, this was all that was in my power to do. Just smile and cheer him on.

I couldn't contain my laughter when Marco's mother came into the room. She saw me and walked right back out but then right back in again, "I thought I was in the wrong room." She laughed slightly as she set down a heavy purple crocodile looking purse...she must like purple. She had a little purple teddy bear with her like a Beanie baby that she gave to Marco.  
"Who are you?" She finally asked. I smiled weakly and answered before Marco could beat me to it, "I'm Marco's friend..." I got quieter as I said that. Marco's mom lit up with excitement, "Are you a patient too? Marco told me he made a friend...quiet sneaky of you mister Jean to pop into Marco's room when his mother is sleeping." She winked as she dug through her purse. She was so incredibly short!  
"Mama...if you're going to bring out that scrapbook you carry around with you, please don't." I had to see this as soon as Marco mentioned it.  
"Oh hush bubuh." The nicknames, oh god the nicknames!

Marco's strict mother sat next to be and flipped through an old book as thick as the bible with a weak spine and torn pages, "Here he is when he was just a few days old, it was his first car ride." Good god he was so tiny. He had freckles even when he was born?! The picture was of a small but chubby cheeked Marco with a pink pacifier and a white onesie in a car-seat to big for him. He had little white mits on for his tiny hands.  
"Argh..." Marco turned his head away from us, not able to do much more. All I could do was giggle at his chipmunk cheeks.  
"You're so adorable..." Just from here his ears were bright red at my simple words.  
"Ooh and here he is when he was released after the hospital when he had a broken arm. He was so little and... energetic!" Marco's mother had found the word she was looking for while in the picture he had a little cast on and looked like he was around seven. He was teary and had blue shorts on and a plaid blue and black button up shirt.  
"Here's his father with him his next hospital trip, he had a fever. Oh! I forgot to mention, my name is Gracie Bott." His mom was friendly but Marco has been to the hospital a lot... and his father looked Marco's height but slightly taller and had some strong sideburn game.  
"Three strikes...but I'm not out." Marco retorted as his mother nodded calmly and continued flipping through the section of when he was trying to ride their family's black Labrador.

His mother had left pretty early to cook dinner for Marco's family at home after kissing Marco's forehead and wishing him to feel better tomorrow. Apparently she was a state farm insurance agent.  
"Sorry about her...ask any doctor or nurse and they'll be able to tell you she's shown everyone those stupid pictures in this entire building." He sighed while rubbing his temples. I laughed and before I left I managed to hug him, hell knows how long until I see him again.  
"I'll see you soon bro." I ruffled his bed head slightly and left Marco in bewilderment or so his face said...did I do something strange?

When I got home my roommate was already done with laundry, dinner, showering, and was in bed asleep. The drive to the hospital is pretty long I suppose but just around an hour or something...back to studying. A link off of a page I was using led me to stories by families who had cancer before. A lot of them were amazing and threatening my eyes to cause tears. I had even begun reading to myself, "When my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer it was the hardest thing we had been through...surgery through the night and therapy... her friends participated in breast walks and marathons...now our newborn baby and my wife are happy and healthy." Happy endings are the best.  
"When my grandpa was told he had lung cancer I began to pray every night..." That part kind of stuck in my mind. I've never been the religious type, science answered all my questions. Yet I suppose there's not much I can do and there's not much in my power.

I felt like a kid as i slid the back door open onto our living room balcony in our apartment and looked up at the sky. Barely any stars shown, I could see two was all. Very dim stars with not much to hold onto.  
"Oh well..." I didn't remember much of the rhyme from when I was little and full of hopes and dreams, "I suppose...star bright star tonight...something like that. I wish I may...I might? Jeez. Uh...anybody up there? Please...at least don't give Marco and his family false hope. Help Marco get better, even money I suppose could help his family with expenses and such... I really don't know a lot about w-what he's going through. In my life I don't think I've sinned -much- but...hear me out please, Marco doesn't deserve this. No one does..." My chest and throat ached. What point was this? Only kids wish upon stars! It was stupid. Even the small dim stars were starting to fade as I made my way downstairs to sleep.


	3. Crept Under The Pudding Pan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jean recalls how both big and small Marco hates taking any pills mostly because he has trouble swallowing them.

We are all out of milk now but on the bright side we have four gallons of chocolate pudding! I'm just hoping nobody planned on eating cereal this morning, "Good god...what's with all the pudding?"  
"Eren, how'd you get into the house?" I finished whisking the last batch to see Eren standing peculiarly close to a batch of pudding.  
"Ah ah ah!" I slapped his lingering hand from over the sloppy chocolate.  
"I snuck in through the window..." Eren has no gift in sneaking through windows without breaking them or something else. My roommate most likely let him in.  
"How much did you make?" I sighed and handed him the metal whisk for him to lick clean.  
"Lick the bowls after I get it all into this bowl." I had a bowl bigger then the rest and I had no idea why I didn't use this first. It was white and plastic with a giant flat red lid. Like I said after I used the rubber spatula to get it all into the giant bowl, Eren's fingers were already sticky with chocolate.  
"How's...work?" Eren had his face buried in a bowl trying to get the last bit of chocolate out from the bottom but his head was too big.  
"Fine...my shift was over yesterday so I'm going to the hospital. Lock up when you leave, key is under the pink bush in the front yard." I called as I slipped my shoes on and flung the front door open, "Jean!" I sighed.  
"What Eren?!" He appeared at the top of the stairs with a jar of peanut butter...  
"Why are you going to the hospital-does someone there need you?" I shook my head, "No Eren...I need them." I left him in questioning as I ran to catch the bus...I haven't seen Marco in four days because of work.

I took a small container of chocolate pudding with me and stopped by the florist. The shopkeeper there was smelling his flowers as usual, "Uh hello." I called and he took one more second to smell a yellow rose before glancing up at me, "Can I get something that stands for...anything related to good health?" He took out a cone to file the stems in before walking around the store and picking flowers here and there." Prices were pretty good and I even had a punch card. Six more and I get a free bouquet!

The lady at the front office just waved to me as I tried avoiding Mr.Bott by the lobby. Mission success as I got onto the elevator.  
"Seven." The ladies voice over in the elevator echoed only through my ears. Strangely the hallways smelled on cinnamon as I hopped off the elevator.

I knocked on the door and I heard his mother laughing as she got to the door and opened it, "Ooh...hello there Jean." She smiled up at me and bent me down to kiss me on my forehead.  
"Uh...good morning." I chuckled as she nodded and pushed me towards Marco. She took the flowers and eyed the small container.  
"Well...any allergies?" I questioned him first thing. He smiled and shook his head, "I knew you would come again." I nodded before Rose came in right on time with a tray of pills.  
"Rose...can I ask you something?" I stepped out into the hall to ask Rose if it was okay to crush up pills and put them in pudding.  
"You know...we actually do something like that for the younger kids. We wrap the pills in peanut butter or nutella." She winked and nodded that it was okay.  
"Jean, I want some of that pudding next time you stop by." She winked before leaving to the room next door with another tray of meds off of a metal cart in the hallway.

Marco's mother crushed up the pills with a spoon and mixed them with the pudding before she handed it to Marco. I was just swinging my legs back and forth happy that Marco was looking the healthiest I've ever seen him.  
"Thanks Jean." Marco was trying to get my attention. I looked up to see him smiling at me and easily taking his medicine. His mother had been called down to the lobby so Marco explained what had been happening the past few days, "When I first got sick I told the doctors that anything possible to get rid of my illness is ran through my family. I make no decisions at all." I understood. I looked up again from the floor to seem him holding up the jar I brought the pudding in, "Bring more next time?" He gave me a cheesy smiled as I chuckled and promised. He had a bit of chocolate on the corner of his mouth...he's too adorable.

We talked and Marco explained how the pain in his side was leaving and he could start to get up and walk, run, jump again.  
"We should do something. Like go... to the zoo." It was the first thing that came to mind of seeing the stuffed animals poke out from under his bed again. This time it was a giant yellow and orange duckling. Marco rubbed the back of his head while his freckles were being brought out from his blushing, perhaps it was hot in the room?  
"That sounds...like fun." 

Marco managed to keep me busy with pulling out forty-seven stuffed animals from under his bed! There was a range of pigs, cats, puppies, monkeys, horses, bears, birds, turtles, lemurs, lions, tigers, Disney characters, dragons, dinosaurs, and even an o-kapi.  
"Who the hell buys all of these for you?" As if I didn't know. By his bed was a picture of his family including his two younger sisters.  
"That's Carabella and Leandra." They looked like twins but were a year apart. Only one of them had freckles.

Marco's mom stepped back into the room and Marco and I laughed at her response at seeing all the stuffed animals around his room, "Oh dear..." She smiled but held her head and her elbow.  
"Oh Mama, instead of the museum can I go with Jean to the zoo?" His family was going to take him to the museum? They're fun and all but thats kind of lame...  
"But buhbuh..." The nicknames got me again! Jean down! Jean down!  
"Jean shut up." He blushed again as I giggled at his nickname.  
"Well...I suppose. Jean how much is it?" She took out her wallet and I shook my head, "I can pay." She looked a little uncertain but eventually agreed.  
"Just don't let your papa find out." She lectured as she started shoving the stuffed animals back under the bed. So, we decided on a date for a week from now...a few days before they speak with some doctors about organizing another surgery.


	4. Leave Them Alone & They'll Come Home.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marco has mustered enough strength to leave the hospital with Jean for a little while.

Bouquet after bouquet takes a toll on cash, "I want to work the full time shift." My boss and friend from highschool cocked his head at me, "Full time is a little over double what you work now. Didn't you have a job at the...the..." he couldn't find the right word.  
"I quit that job, the grocery store is getting gross." He tilted his head up and gave a slight nod. Even if he denied me working full here I could always work next door at his ex-girlfriends cafe.  
"Yeah sure man..." He continued playing with a purple slinkie on his desk..."God Mark, get a real job." I ordered as I left his 'office'. He was right however, I did have a past job however. I just didn't like the smell in the bowling alley of polished floors, feet, and old people.

This months rent wasn't a problem however mostly because my roomie was late on his so he could pay this months on his own to repay me back for last month.  
"Hey Jean, you have a call!" I slid behind the front desk mostly because no one had answered it and picked up the black piece of cold plastic, "Yeah what do you want?" Nobody ever makes reservations at this cheap crappy place.  
"Jean, Connie got a concussion." I face-palmed myself. They rarely get this hurt.  
"God...hey Eren, why didn't you just call me on my cellphone?" I leaned over the counter to pick up some shoes left my a couple now leaving.  
"I did but I think I got the wrong number...plus your phone is practically dust dude." He never calls me anyway.  
"My number hasn't changed, did you just dial it wrong?"  
"Nobody dials anymore Jean..." Eren had a point but how would he of got the wrong number?

I pat my pockets...my phone was missing, "Hey by any chance...did a kid named Marco pick up?" I heard Eren laugh, "You left it at a friends place? Yeah, he picked up." Well shit.  
"Anyway after you're done with work come by the hospital do smack Connie's head. We were all rubbing it for good luck earlier." These morons.  
"Sure thing, but I'll have to leave early. I'm going out with a friend tonight." I could almost hear Eren shrugging before he hung up.

My shift could not end fast enough as I bolted to the bus stop. Luckily my full time shift doesn't start until two days.  
"Connie you're an idiot, hi Sasha how's your leg? Armin good to see you, you might want to cut your hair. Eren you're as obnoxious as ever and you didn't even clean the pudding bowls. If that's it I'm outta here, later guys-"  
"Where are you going Jean?" Armin caught my hand before I could get out the door.  
"Because...I'm afraid if Connie or Sasha get hurt again they'll somehow drag me into it." Armin didn't believe me.  
"Really." I rolled my eyes and tossed my head from side to side, "I'm late for something and have to get my phone back!" Armin was a bit hesitant but let go of my arm even though I could have pulled away any second I didn't want to hurt the little guy and with that over I was out of there and racing down the hall. I was three minutes late and every second seemed to count.

Just a minute or two and I was outside of Marco's room. Depression seemed to hit me hard. I closed my eyes and felt short of breath when I started feeling chills and heat flashes. I leaned up against the nearest wall and could almost not keep myself from crying. What was I doing here? What have I gotten myself into? I shouldn't be here, I shouldn't even know Marco.  
"Jean, won't you come inside?" I looked up to see Marco's mother passing by in the hallway and tilted her head towards Marco's room. I nodded before standing up and wiping my nose, "Allergies." I explained before following her inside. I almost started laughing when Marco was singing in the mirror, but why shouldn't he be? He turned bright red before hugging his mother and following me right out the door.  
"You left this..." He handed me my phone and I nodded before stashing it in my pocket and handing his mother the flowers before following him down the hall.

The bus was busy, crowded. We had to stand pretty close to each other. I choked on my own saliva when we turned on a highway, the driver forgetting when he was going and Marco instinctively clung to me...he was so warm and well, alive.  
"Sorry." He whispered. Like this however I could get a wonderful view of his freckles.

The day was nice and warm, pretty early if you ask me. It was only around dinner when we got to the zoo and went through a gate that looked like an elephant. Different animals bronzed in statues decorated the park. Lots of trees creating a canopy overlapping to block the sun covered the zoo. The cute little otters would come up the underground tank and lick the glass.  
"How adorable..." Marco pressed his hand to the tank as an otter swam by...dammit. I looked away to hide a blush, he was so cute. I'm ashamed to say it but being around Marco has begun to make me...uncomfortable? No that's a terrible way to describe it.  
"Oh Jean look!" A camel was on a leash and was being led through the zoo by a keeper.  
"Ew..." Marco was astounded at my response. I looked at him and shrugged, "They're hairy and gross..." I pointed out.  
"You're hairy and gross." We both couldn't keep a straight face. Marco just smiled and walked backwards asking me where to next after the camel left.  
"Uh...elephant." I pointed out to a stable looking building with an elephants face painted on the brown side of the building in green paint...not the best choice of colors.

When we got inside the stable I almost passed out, "Good god..." I held my nose before burying it in my jacket.  
"Aw it's so cute..." The elephants trunk was prickly and wrinkled. It reached between the bars and could barely touch our feet. Marco stroked the trunk as it blew air into his face. Pieces of hay decorated his hair, causing me to laugh but rethink at the stench. When we had left we got some popcorn and visited a three legged cheetah, Marco was to obsessed with twin baby polar bears swimming in a bucket across the trail however.  
"I want one..." I chuckled at his comment,"A polar bear isn't exactly the best pet." Marco's face was pressed up against the clear but sticky glass anyway.

Through buckets and buckets of popcorn it was almost closing time, "You're adorable Marco." I ruffled his hair before turning to leave the gift shop when Marco had a fuzzy white hat on with little nubs as baby polar bear ears. Soon enough he caught up to me after putting the hat back and locked arms with me. This is what friends do...right?  
"So Jean, anywhere else? I think we've seen all the animals and it's almost closing time." He pointed out. I nodded slowly before dragging him towards the exit.  
"Time to take you back before you mama gets worried." I smirked at him as he pouted but nodded.  
"I suppose you're right uh...I might be getting my uhm...final surgery in a month." The last part Marco whispered but I could hear clearly. I stopped in my tracks to look him in the eye, only then did he let go of my arm.  
"Final surgery?" I was scared as to what these words meant.  
"Well, yeah. I was wondering if...you could spare some time. To well, just see...me. Before of course the surgery because it's... well a Nephrectomy." I didn't understand the last word but hell yeah I would come if he wanted me to.

**Author's Note:**

> My uncle with lung cancer gave me this idea a few months ago and I've wanted to write it so here it is. Comment your thoughts please.


End file.
